Comatose
by Tireseus
Summary: A continuation of the 'One Shot' MV. What happens after the gang's arrest and Youngjae's betrayal? Click to find out. Fav, comments and/or subscribe. As a writer feedback of any kind is immensely appreciated. Thanks for reading and hope you enjoy. Part 1 (of this 2 part story) is up now!


Chapter 1

Heavy boots pounded the pavement and within seconds they appeared: a SWAT team storming down the subway station stairs. The opposing gang leader, a short bald man, and his cronies scrabbled over each other in their mad rush to get to the staircase at the opposite end of the platform - the only other entrance or exit out of the underground subway station.

Yongguk's group made to follow them. But within mere seconds another SWAT team unit stormed the vicinity from the opposite passageway, guns in hand, forcing the rival gang back into the centre of the platform. The groups scrabbled, unsure of which way to go. It was chaos.

With the gangs surrounded on either side, and both exits effectively blocked by armed teams, it was rather clear that there'd be no escape. Yongguk tore his gaze from his crew, who raised their hands in surrender.

Yongguk tore his gaze away from the SWAT team behind his group, just as Youngjae turned away from the scene unfolding on the other side where the opposing gang was surrendering as well.

They made eye contact. Yongguk watched, dumbfounded as the corners of Youngjae's full lips curve upwards in a knowing smile. His handsome features looking utterly satisfied. Himchan, and Jongup watched him silently now. Zelo and Daehyun hadn't noticed yet, too distracted by the frantic scene around them.

Eventually the SWAT teams had forced the rival gang against the back wall of the subway station, but other than that they did not move. It was as though they were waiting for something – or rather someone.

A S.W.A.T team officer, approached Youngjae and saluted him. Youngjae, to everyone's surprise, nodded in response.

_As if, _thought Yongguk (the officer handed something to Youngjae, who took it easily from their hands and flashed a police badge in the faces of his own friends.) His brows raised_, it was planned! But how?_

His mind had finished processing the fact that they had unknowingly let a traitor into their midst. Now it was fired up trying to figure out how Youngjae had been able to tip off the police about their whereabouts, while supposedly being kidnapped and held for ransom. A wire was out of the question. Youngjae had not been with them during the armored truck heist.

_Then what? A tracking device? _Yongguk mused._ But where? Where could he have placed something like that?_

He shut his eyes, remembering that Youngjae and the rest of the group knew how attached he was to his leather satchel. He brought it everywhere. Not only because it was made by his favourite designer, but because it was the first thing he bought himself after he'd held a thousand dollars in his hands for the first time in his life. It was after their third robbery together as a gang. (Nowadays he'd touch and held millions of dollars in all different currencies.) But back then, back then it felt like so much, and made him really feel like a somebody. He'd grown up around people who told him he was nothing but a "homeless, parentless thug," while he struggled to survive on the unforgiving streets of Youngsan succeeding his parents' fatal motor accident. His family home was taken back by the government and he was dumped in a foster home so neglectful that he opted to run away. It was these ragic events that had forced Yongguk to turn to a life of crime to survive.

_He must've planted the tracker on ... me. He knows the sentimental value of my bag. He knows I carry it everywhere I go - _

"Yah!" cried Himchan, bringing Yongguk to reality with an unpleasant bump, and catching the group's attention. He was pointing at Youngjae with a look of dismay. "He's police?!"

Jongup took a step backwards, not wanting to believe what he was seeing.

"No," came the incredulous whisper that left Zelo's lips.

Youngjae smirked horribly in response to them all, and mockingly saluted them.

Yongguk watched him, no longer recognizing him as his brother, his friend. But an officer whose loyalty had always remained with the police.

The betrayal, the lies, the shock of it all was too much for Yongguk. Teeth clenched and hands balled tightly into fists, as tendrils of frustration curled up in his chest. Fury, like a fire that couldn't be contained, unleashed from within him and he lunged out at Youngjae.

Immediately a swarm of officers were on him, restraining him, cuffing his hands behind his back. Yongguk was forced to his knees. Behind him, the same was happening to his friends.

Yongguk watched Youngjae turned his back away from the seen, away from them as his started toward the exit.

"Youngjae!" the name tore through Yongguk's throat. "Wait!"

"Wait," he mumbled, turning in his bed. "Wait – " Yongguk awoke with a start, sweating despite the coldness of his prison cell.

He'd had that dream again.

The same one that had haunted him for the last eleven years.

_Eleven years today, _he thought._ That's how long I've been in here. _

He ran a hand through his damp, recently cut hair. He heard the footsteps of a prison guard approaching before the man appeared in front of the cell bars.

"Lucky you," said the prison guard as he unlocked the door. "Your sentence is up. Grab your stuff. You're goin' home."

Yongguk did something he hadn't done in quite a while, he smiled.

Nothing could describe the feeling of being released from prison. Gazing skyward, Yongguk stood on top of the steps at the front doors of the prison building, and inhaled deeply, taking in crisp, cool, autumn air. He'd almost forgotten how good freedom felt.

The gentle humming of an engine brought him back to the present, and it was then that he noticed a black vehicle pulling up to the steps.

Yongguk stood rooted to the spot, unsure who it could be and not willing to move until he found out.

The door on the driver's side swung open and a man – tall and lean – with side-swept hair stepped out. He was well-dressed, clad in a white v-neck shirt under a black blazer and dark jeans. Coolly, almost dramatically, he slid his sunglasses over his eyes, resting them atop his head, and lifted a hand casually in the air.

_Himchan!_

Without the sunglasses he looked very similar to how Yonnguk had remembered him, only his face was a little more filled out than it was eleven years ago, his dark eyes a little harder.

Yongguk rushed down the steps. "Bro," he said smiling, "it's _really_ good to see you again."

He extended his hand in greeting, but Himchan ignored it and embraced him fully, hugging him tightly.

"Hyung." His voice was something of a hoarse whisper, "it's been too long."

Hurriedly he opened the passenger's side door, and ushered Yongguk inside.

During their trial the gang who called themselves "B.A.P." had had a great lawyer, a Mr. Hoya Lee, whom, aside from gaining favor of the judge due to their long friendship, had made an outstanding case. He'd argued that the police had no real evidence of any past crime that B.A.P. had supposedly committed. In addition, they never would have robbed an armored truck if it weren't for the false kidnapping of Youngjae. He claimed that police had set them up, and should be prosecuted for _entrapment_.

Of course the police were furious with this argument and arguing that what they did was necessary, etc. And, as most would guess, they were not prosecuted for their conspiracy. Still, Mr. Hoya Lee's argument was enough to sway the jury's decision. The police had wanted the gang to receive the maximum penalty for their involvement in the armed robbery, but the jury wasn't as eager to throw away the lives of young men whom they felt were, at least partially, wronged by the cops, and had the potential to turn their lives around. In the end, Yongguk, who had headed the robbery, received the most prison time – eleven years. Jongup, Daehyun and Himchan received nine for their roles in the heist, and Zelo, saved only by his young age, received five years in a juvenile detention centre.

Himchan disclosed to Yongguk all that had happened in the two years in which he was still in prison. For example, given that he still had connections with the garage he used to work at, he was able to reclaim his old job - fixing cars - almost immediately. He'd put in a good word for Daehyun, who was now an intern. Apparently Jongup had landed a job working at a local deli, and he and Himchan shared an apartment. ("You know you're welcome to stay with us until you get back on your feet again too, hyung.") Zelo, who only spent five years in a youth detention centre, had finished high school and taken an interest in dancing. He was praised by his schoolmates and teachers alike, and even entered some national contests. Now he dreamt of going professional, and becoming a famous choreographer.

As he sat in the passenger's seat, listening to the details of his gang member's lives, what impressed Yongguk most was learning that they were still close, and doing rather well despite the circumstances that had befallen them.

He stared out the window, watching other cars pass by on the highway, watching the sky darken overhead warning of rain, and let his thoughts wonder to what he would do now that he was out of prison. What kind of job he could hope to get with armed robbery on his criminal record. Briefly he entertained the thought of committing one last heist – more sophisticated this time – and just stealing enough to get back on his feet. Buy a house and car. The police had taken everything...

"Hey Yongguk ah," said Himchan suddenly, "While you were in prison did you ever think about . . ." his voice trailed off, catching Yongguk's attention.

"What?"

Himchan, hands still on the wheel, turned to him with those dark, haunting eyes, "You know, getting some revenge on the little shit?"

Yongguk looked away, the very mention of _him_ brought on bitter feelings of hate.

Himchan smirked, "Not gonna admit it, eh? Come on, hyung. Don't pretend you haven't. We _all_ have."

Yonnguk didn't like to think about it. _Of course_ he wanted revenge. In prison he sometimes had daydreams of confronting Youngjae in the safety of his police office, after hours, gun in hand. He'd order Youngjae to get on his knees and beg for forgiveness for his betrayal. Beg for his life. Sometimes these fantasies would end brutally with Yongguk pumping Youngjae's knelling body full of bullets.

But sometimes the Youngjae in his dreams, reduced to a pathetic mess – terrified, shaking and crying – would receive his forgiveness. He'd drop the gun, and sink to his knees next to Youngjae, tears falling from his own eyes. And just ask him, "How could you betray us? Was _everything_ just a lie? . . . Were _we_ just a lie?"

"OI! Yongguk!" said Himchan when he didn't respond right away. Yongguk jumped in his seat but quickly recovered his composure.

"I do," he said finally. "Honestly, the only thing stopping me is that I just lost a little more than a decade of my life in prison. Now I gotta make up for lost time. I ain't tryna go back for killing a cop. . ."

Oddly enough, Himchan was grinning now. "Not a problem. The world works in very mysterious ways."

Yongguk was aware he was insinuating something, though he wasn't aware what since Himchan's features gave nothing away.

"What are getting at?" he spoke finally.

Himchan spared him a glance before sliding his gaze back to the road and merely said, "For every action, there's an equal and opposite reaction."

Yongguk frowned, even more perplexed by him now._ What does this have to do with physics?_ "Newton?" he ventured.

"Hm? Who the hell's that? I'm talking about Karma."


End file.
